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About The Gardens Between
The Gardens Between is a single‑player adventure‑puzzle game that follows best friends Arina and Frendt as they wander through vibrant, dreamlike island gardens. The game uses time manipulation to solve puzzles and reveal moments from their shared childhood.
Its storybook‑inspired art, ambient soundtrack by Tim Shiel, and lack of text or time pressure create a relaxing experience that emphasizes friendship, memory, and growing‑up. The title runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and supports full controllers, Steam Cloud, and Remote Play on TV.
01 / THE GUIDE
Storybook‑Inspired Art
The Gardens Between features a vibrant, storybook‑inspired visual design that turns each garden into a colorful, dreamlike tableau. Everyday objects from the protagonists’ childhood appear as playful set pieces, reinforcing the theme of memory.
The art style has earned multiple accolades, including the IMGA 2020 Excellence In Art award, highlighting its distinctive aesthetic within indie adventure games.
- Observe how objects change when you manipulate time; visual cues often indicate puzzle solutions.
- Compare garden layouts to spot recurring motifs that hint at narrative connections.
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Time‑Manipulation Puzzles
Puzzles require players to control the flow of time, rewinding or fast‑forwarding to alter the environment and progress. This core mechanic is described as “bespoke ingenious puzzles require the manipulation of time to solve.”
The design avoids text, speech, and complex UI, making the puzzles accessible while still offering depth through temporal interactions.
- Experiment with both forward and backward time shifts to see how objects respond.
- Notice patterns in how garden elements move; they often repeat in predictable cycles.
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Ambient Soundtrack by Tim Shiel
An ambient soundtrack composed by Tim Shiel accompanies the journey, reinforcing the game’s relaxing atmosphere. The music is highlighted as a “relaxing, ambient soundtrack by feature‑artist Tim Shiel.”
The soundtrack reinforces the game’s relaxing atmosphere and complements the visual storytelling without relying on dialogue.
- Listen for the ambient layers as you play; the soundtrack is designed to reinforce the relaxing atmosphere.
- Play with headphones to fully appreciate the ambient layers.
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Critical Acclaim and Awards
The game has received praise from outlets such as GameSpot, Nintendo Life, and Polygon, with quotes like “Magical moments.” and “Incredibly clever.” It also won several awards, including the 2019 Apple Design Award and 2018 Mac Game of the Year.
These recognitions underline both its artistic merit and innovative puzzle design, positioning it as a standout indie title.
- Read the quoted reviews for insight into what critics found most memorable.
- Consider the award categories (art, puzzles, technology) to focus on those strengths during play.
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Platform Support and Services
The Gardens Between runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering full controller support, Steam Cloud saves, Remote Play on TV, and Family Sharing. These features are listed under “features” and “platforms.”
Such support ensures the game can be played on a variety of hardware setups, from PC to console‑style controllers, and progress can be synced via Steam Cloud.
- Enable Steam Cloud to keep your puzzle progress across devices.
- Try Remote Play on TV for a larger, more immersive view of the gardens.
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